Things to do

• Arts and crafts
• Books for kids
• Easy card games
• Garden games
• Gardening with children
• Gardens in miniature
• Growing vegetables
• Having a laugh
• Home fun
• Music and rhythm
• Older kids outdoor games
• Online games for kids
• Online games for mums
• Playing and talking

Gardening: Growing Veg - Peas and Beans

Beans and Peas

If you have a fence or wall in your garden then beans make a lovely climbing plant, especially runner beans which have a bright red flower. If you don't have a wall then get a couple of large tubs and plant some canes in a circle and tie them at the top to form a teepee. Then plant a bean seedling at the bottom of each cane and watch them climb right up.

Peas grow along the same lines but without the height, you can even get peas that grow in a small pot on your kitchen table!

Varieties to try:

• Enorma: A long slender runner bean, water regularly to be rewarded with a heavy crop which your children will love to pick.
• Blue Lake: Medium Length Stringless French Bean if you leave these to ripen you will get a good crop of haricot beans.
• Kelveden Wonder: 18" high, these are a good mildew resistant type that crop heavily and are recommended for freezing.
• Ezethas Krombek Blauwschok: A mange tout pea with beautiful purple flowers, these can be eaten whole in the pod when young or left to mature and used for dried peas.